While wireless dog fence systems have come a long way, they all have some limitations that render them useful only in very specific situations. All wireless dog fences are hindered by one (or for some unfortunate systems, both) of two problems - poor signal consistency and/or circular shape only. Read on for more details.

We generally recommend wired dog fences over wireless dog fences across the board. In-Ground dog fences take a little more commitment on the installation at the beginning but they are much more reliable, easier to train on, more flexible in terms of collar and avoidance zone compatibility, and just generally better than their wireless counterparts. BUT, we realize that there are some situations where an in-ground dog fence may not be an option. For example, if you rent your home and can't use a wired fence or you frequently take your dog with you to a vacation home and want to travel with the dog fence.

First of all, anyone with a toy breed. There is no available wireless dog fence suitable for dogs under 12 lbs. Although manufacturers list their collars as safe for dogs down to 5 lbs. This is completely unrealistic as the collars are way to big and heavy and the correction way to strong for such tiny dogs.

Then there are the circumstances that make 99% of wireless dog fences a major no-no (the GPS based D.E. Systems Border Patrol is an exception to this rule). Wireless dog fences are not compatible with:

• metal roofing or siding
• large metal structures in the signal field
• wooded areas or log cabin homes
• properties that slope down away from the transmitter
• large obstacles in the signal field

Wireless dog fence systems are prone to 'wobbly' boundaries in the best circumstances - where there is a direct line of sight (not including the walls of your home) from the transmitter to the boundary line. This means that wireless dog fences work best in large, open, field-like properties. Any of the above conditions on your property will either create gaping holes in your boundary where your dog can escape or create areas inside the safe zone where your dog will randomly receive correction.

In addition, most wireless dog fences are only capable of a circular-shaped boundary (the Havahart Custom Shape Fence being the only semi-reliable exception). Although the size of the circle is adjustable, you still need a space at least as wide as the diameter of the circle, so most wireless dog fences won't work for properties that are in any way narrow.

Our wireless dog fence ratings are reflective of wireless to wireless comparisons and are not comparing the wireless systems to the wired dog fence systems (meaning a rating of 3 in wireless is not equal to a rating of 3 in wired). Wired dog fence systems are still far superior to wireless pretty much across the board. We can foresee a day when this will not be the case with the advent of GPS and Mapping technology, but for now wired systems are definitely still the safest and most reliable way to contain your pets.

If you need help choosing a dog fence, call us at (800) 396-5517 or use our live chat! We can pull up your property on google maps and help you choose the best system based on your property and your pets.